Anony, every night I prayed to be comfortable with my choices. I hope you can do whatever you need to do with your family. I was often criticized for my good nature toward various family members (I don't fight other people's battles for them) and I'd respond with, at the end of the day I need to be comfortable with my choices.

While I do not want you to be in a hazardous spot with your family, if you will live with lifelong regret by refusing to see them, then do not refuse. I don't know what's best for you other than asking you to make the choice that you are most comfortable with.

Tillie the state of your yard is so distressing to me. You deserve better.

Gingerbread was fun. I made a bank building.

~Good Morning to all!~
Ive been having a really hard time over all the stuff with my family. I may just be super upfront with them about some of these things. They should remember i used be super blunt, even to a point of shocking...ha ha I may even email them about some things i want them to know. Id feel less resentful that way, i think? Id been contemplating just telling them no, that i can not emotionally survive such a visit, and then, in just a few days, 2 people i know had a parent die...so, that was a wake up call.....i dont know if i could survive never seeing them again, knowing id said 'no'...
Also, things keep ending up with my place & in my life, where i have to just depend on myself. No one is going to save me from anything.
Ive got most of my staging area table clear. Im feeling very hopeful about that!
~♡~Love to you all!!!~♡~

Good Morning Everybody 🙂

Hi from tomorrowland Subclinical. ;D
Broken mirror art project sounds interesting
and shiny. 😀
Hoping you have a fantastic weekend.

Hi Tatoulia 🙂
Happy that the mirror pieces are all gone!
I think trash companies aren't too particular about how we dispose of large dangerous glass shards because they are a public hazard and better off anywhere else besides our homes.
I want to smell baking gingerbread, makes the house smell so wonderful.

I am so in the mood to purge things.
My stuff has been gone through with a fine toothed comb and is alright.
But I hate seeing all that other stuff in the yard.
It has sat out there for years & decades.
I want to have those derelict vehicles towed away.
Then I would like to clear the volunteer tree jungles and reclaim the land for humanity.
If wishes were nickels we'd all be millionaires. ;P

Oops! I don't watch Dr Who but I'll gladly be Dr When! As in, when did SubC say she had plans?!?

Have a bag of donations ready to go! Will takevto cat and then will have three bags to drop off tomorrow!

Have a great day everyone!!!!

Which one of you is dr who? You are writing me from tomorrow!

Today was just school. I did end up having a really good day with the kids, so that was good.

I am just relaxing this evening by the fire. It's a good break between a busy school week and tomorrow's tree/pajamas/shopping/concert.

Gingerbread school definitely sounds like fun!

Good Evening 🙂

Hi Subclinical 🙂
Hoping/wishing you had a WONDERFUL time getting a tree and attending the concert. 😀
Hope you were able to avoid the mall and that your husband changes his mind about your PJs.

Hi Tatoulia 🙂
Gingerbread school?
Sounds like sooooo much fun! ;D
Happy you had a good day today and tomorrow's house building sounds like a blast!

HI HI HI EVERYBODY ELSE! 😀

Did a small load of laundry and a teeny tiny load of rags.
Did some other stuff too but mostly just reminisced and daydreamed the day away.
Hung out with the cats, held Marty a lot and played with Scooter. 😀

SubC thank you for your support and good advice. No sign of the mirror anywhere--looks like garbage picked it up!

Did you get your tree? I suppose you are st the concert now. I hope the pajama situation wasn't too stressful.

I'm home. Just had dinner. Took a half day off work and spent with mom. And BF. Had a good time. Tomorrow am making the first of my gingerbread houses. Will do at a girl friend's house. Years ago we went to Gingerbread School together. She's got two little kids and it is going to be great fun.

It sounds like the mirror didn't break well for me anyway.

It also sounds like the mirror might have been the type to be coated with mercury, so I think throwing out the pj's and slippers was just fine. If you have a bag in your vacuum, please throw that out as well. Even if it is not full.

I'm glad the mirror wasn't someth8ng important to you.

My goal for today is to get through teaching and have the kids have a good day.

Tomorrow we get our Christmas tree and go to a concert in the evening. Dh wants to start our Christmas shopping also and buy me pajamas because he hates my winter pajamas. I like them and I don't want to buy more th8ngs, so tomorrow will be stressful. He will probably make me go in the mall.

SubC when I was looking up whether the trash would take it, I did read how artists might enjoy the broken mirrors for art projects and I'll admit I thought if you. I have to tell you, it fell into two very large pieces and then a piece like a sword. The rest of the pieces were about the size of a stick of gum. There weren't many tiny shards. I just vacuumed the area some more to make sure. I also thought of you when I made the decision to throw out the pjs and the slippers but I really thought it for the best. There is no need to get cuts. Truly my only worry was the kitty. BF's first question when he got here was, do you still have all your toes?

Let me tell you, this was a giant, heavy old mirror. On the back it said Virginia Mirror Company. And now it's gone and truthfully I don't care one way or the other about it. I need some spackle and some paint.

Now that Tillie's gramma's solution has been rendered, I'm not worried about any bad luck. Plus I technically didn't break it. It jumped.

I've decided to wait til next week to take my garbage out. I don't want anyone to figure out it was me in the event it becomes an issue with someone. This way my shards won't be in the same group as the mirror pieces. Fingers crossed the city picks up and it doesn't break more. It's so thick that it would take a hammer to break it any further.

Again, til it gets out of my life, I'm going to do some fretting, I'm afraid.

In other news, I have a new cleaning spray and it's grapefruit scented and it just smells so fresh. I did wipe down kitchen counter and I dusted half of the bedroom today. I also used the spray on the granite topped table in my bedroom. I hope the spray encourages me to clean more.

Thank you for your support, Tillie & SubC.

CM, I am late, but I am very sorry about the bunny. Unfortunately bunnies live short lives. But it sounds like your had a good one.

I don't think mirror recycles.

But I wish we had "wonkavision" I have a pottery project I want to try and I just need a broken mirror....

Although, now is not a good time. Too many things underway.

Yay me for not taking tatoulia's mirror out of the trash - lol!

I am almost caught up on trash. I'm buried under creating lesson plans for the two weeks plus tomorrow between now and Christmas break though.

Thank goodness for the antidote! Will see right to it!

OH TATOULIA!
So glad nobody was injured!
The trash services out here have no problem taking broken glass/mirrors so you did the only thing possible to dispose of it.
Sorry this happened (((HUGS)))
OK, my Granma would tell you to stand there and turn around 3 times counter clockwise.
Then "spit" on the ground where the mirror broke.
Since spitting inside Granma's house was strictly forbidden I did a sort of pantomime spit.
This way you will never have any bad luck from breaking a mirror. LOL 😀
Please wear slippers around the room for a while still just in case a sliver is hiding.
I think you have done a very thorough job of cleaning the area.
WTG! 😀

Sitting on your lap is Marty's job. I'm sure if you ask him who should dhave the dishes he'll point to Scooter!

Well my day went a little differently than planned but I'm good with it.

As I closed my closet door, my giant, heavy mirrror came crashing down. It damaged my bed table and knocked the lamp over but no one was hurt. I called BF to help. I picked up the smaller pieces (like swords) and we taped up the jagged edges of the five foot section and the two foot section. We put them as best we could in contractors bag and put out back. I sure hope either the garbage people tomorrow or the recycling people take them. I honestly don't know what else to do. All pieces under a foot I put in one of the grocery bags (the reusable ones) and then in a garbage bag.

I have vacuumed and vacuumed and vacuumed. There were no visible shards in bed but I've stripped it and am washing everything right now. Duvet washed and dried, coverlet in dryer and thin quilt in washer. I through out the slippers and the pjs that were on the floor. Not worth it.

I've dusted the table and the few things that were on it. I have to put the lamp back.

I just hope no one asks me about the giant mirror shards out back. Again, we've taped the sharp edges. I don't want to lie but I don't want to claim them, either. The city garbage site is silent on mirrors. The biggest shard wouldn't fit in the recycling bin.

OK...
I dusted somewhat
rounded up all cat toys
vacuumed the carpet
vacuumed cat trees & scratch posts
swept the floors
fed & watered cats
scooped litter boxes
cleaned the filters on the space heaters
watered house plants
Marty said it's now necessary that he sits on my lap.
I'm hungry and after I eat will clean the kitchen.
Most of the dishes are from the cats but they refuse to ever wash dishes.
They just say "not my job".

Good Morning Everyone 🙂
"clink!"

Hi Tatoulia 🙂
Thank you.
So, did you stay home or go in to work today?
It's so nice that you have a job that allows you to work from home some days. 🙂

I have a tiny post-it note about 1x1 1/2 inches big.
Have started listing todays To Do tasks on it and so far only thing I can think to do is wash dishes.
Of course I will do the usual everyday cat related stuff.
Still no need to grocery shop until sometime next week.
No need to leave home at all.
I really should dust but haven't found any motivation to do so.
Nobody is coming by and dust really doesn't bother me until it's much deeper than it is. ;P
Really should vacuum the carpet too but I hate having to crawl around on the floor gathering up all the cat toys that are everywhere.
It's just 8:15am here. Maybe I will find my motivation yet! 😀
Last few mornings there has been frost on everything outside. It's beautiful to look at and melts away shortly after the sun hits it.
Want to do laundry but don't have enough to make it worth running the machine.

Tillie I love hearing how you assess your things and do regular deep cleaning.

Today I worked from home and finished up some laundry. All loads only. I kept up with dishes and mainly just worked. Met friends for dinner then had a lecture to go to. I'm just hanging out with kittycat now.

I should go to office tomorrow yet I do not feel like it do I likely will stay home.

Good Morning Everyone 🙂
"CLINK!"

Hi CriticalMass 🙂
You did a wonderful job helping Bunny and making her as comfortable as possible.
Know in your heart that she appreciated everything you did for her and she passed knowing she was well loved.
((((((HUGS))))))

Hi Subclinical 🙂
WTG! for continuing gathering and taking care of all your recyclables and trash!
Just keeping up with all that really helps keep things in some order while you are busy with your hectic schedule. 😀

Hi Tatoulia 🙂
(((HUGS))) So happy you are removing your "ghost squalor" from your head.
You have done the physical decluttering work and now you are doing the psychological work.

Spent all day yesterday sorting out and straightening my cubby hole of a closet in my room.
It's where I keep my linens mostly.
It was a fun relaxing activity, working slowly, pulling out everything and evaluating them all critically.
Some washcloths and hand towels are now demoted to the rag cupboard.
A sheet with too many cat made rips/tears/holes is now destined for the no-kill animal shelter.
Switched out tablecloths.
Decided one flannel sheet was now demoted to cat blankie.
One pillow case joined the animal shelter donation bag.
Wiped the closet shelves and put stuff back all neat & tidy.
Now my mind is at peace knowing that I have enough of everything and what I have is still good and useable. 😀

Cm I am so sorry about the bunny. I know you kept her comfortable and happy right up to the end. Sending love.

I'll be back soon with a general post, but just wanted to say that our ailing bunny girl passed away in the night. We knew she was declining more rapidly but this was sudden. Though when they have to put so much of their strength into things like moving around, it no doubt puts a strain on their hearts and so on. Hope she didn't suffer long at the end.

Thanks so much to all of you as you followed our struggle to keep her as comfortable as possible - it means a lot.

Coffee clinks!

I dropped the recycling and some trash yesterday and took a bunch of plastic bags to the grocery drop.

Dh did all the shopping last week and he always gets plastic bags :(. But I appreciate the shopping part, so...

Today is teaching and grocery store and I need to put the thanksgiving decorations away.

I also need to take more trash. We generated three plastic grocery bags over the holiday, plus I got behind on the feed bags.

Good day at work. I stayed til after 8 then walked home. When I came in, much to my surprise I saw the space in my house instead of the junk. Your words really reached me yesterday, Tillie. Thank you.

Hey SubC, I live in a city so twice a week trash pickup is a must! Now we have bins out back for recycling so we can bring out any time. Big improvement over the old way, when re lung was picked up once a week and had to be held inside. GET THIS/-just like on TV, I used to live in a tall building in the city and we had a trash chute so I could (and did) dump my trash nightly. My apartment was almost always guest ready.

Tillie that's very interesting about the phantom pain from hoarding. I am much more peaceful today, having read that last night and mulled it over.

Have a great day everyone. I need to get ready to go to my office. Haven't been there in one week!

Hi Tess, good luck with your next project!

CM, I bet the mess isn't as bad as you think.

I hope you get your house ready in time and that you get your pie. I wish I could share my pumpkin pie with you.

Tatoulia, i've Never lived anywhere with trash pick up more than once a week. That is surprising to me!

I need to take trash and recycling when I go to work and class today. It piled up from the holiday and me staying home.

I did burn the burnable trash from the garage yesterday, but I didn't add any scrap from the shop.

I also brought home way to much bread from the food bank yesterday. Ruth had bagged it all up in a garbage bag and told one of the guys to take it to my car. I guess I will feed as much as I can to the chickens and if it starts to go bad, I will spread it in the woods for the other critters.

Hello Everyone 🙂

Hi Subclinical 🙂
WAY TO GO! with all your disbursing of unneeded items! 😀
I love when I can light the burn barrel. Feels so good that all that stuff is good & gone and I no longer need to be responsible for any of it. 😀

Hi Tess 🙂
Wonderful that you were able to get all that off your chest!
That's the best kind of decluttering there is. 😀

Hi CriticalMass 🙂
Sorry that all those loose ends are frustrating all your efforts to tie them all up.
When the weather is too nasty to work outside
please take the time to make yourself that pie.
You have earned it. (((HUGS)))

Hi Tatoulia 🙂
I believe you are suffering with "GHOST SQUALOR".
When a person has lived with clutter/squalor for so many years, even when the home is so much better, the "ghost squalor" remains in the person's mind.
It's not really there but the feeling that it is still remains.
This is where having some before pictures can really help you to see all the improvements you have made.
Take time to sit and look around. Think of all the things you have removed and all the things you have cleaned just this past year.
Remember how it was before the new drapes & chandelier and compare it to now.
Chase away, exorcise that ghost squalor.
You have made such WONDERFUL progress (((HUGS)))
WTG!
But you better ask Kitty about donating a blanket.
Cats are all big time hoarders. ;D

Well, he did go to the dump with a small truck load, mostly just regular household trash.
I tried to clean the bathroom today but he was just right there behind me messing it up again.
Thinking tomorrow I need the day off to recover from his days off.
He did not pick up all that garbage in his bedroom.
That would have made his trip to the dump worthwhile.
Anyway, I rearranged the bowls in the cupboard just because I was bored. LOL ;P

Checking in. All garbage out. Recycling out. Clothes to woman at mom's is out. Dishes done. Cat blankets washed and put away.

But I still feel like my house is a pigsty.

Tillie! I have a half a bag for the person in the assisted living. Found one more dress and three sweaters for her. All freshened up. Only a small bag for goodwill so far. Like you, I love the feeling of having a full bag to go. But I'll get rid of what I can!

Fingers crossed for Steven, which translates into fingers crossed for you.

Cm, I relate to the paralyzingly nature of loose ends. I am suffering a bit of that too and it's making me crazy.

Tess! Glad you are here and that your heart is mending! SubC keep moving forward--I'm glad that you are able to have your children take so many of the items. I have had to
Learn to take solace in the opposite, as I have no children and no nieces or nephews. So I've rearranged my mind to not hang onto stuff since there is no one to take it. Hard lesson for me.

I will have an enormous amount of trash and recycling today. Fantastic feeling!

Washing cat blankets and bed right now. Will perhaps decide to donate one of the blankets.

Morning all...

HI PORTER!!

Ups and downs lately, and intermittent bouts of mental funk. Mainly caused by too many LOOSE ENDS and time being chopped up. Time spent regrouping from one outing or obligation or preparing for another. Loss of focus, moodiness. Late November is a vulnerable time for me, time of past sad events - my grandpa's death, my own serious mental "crashes," and the departure from my foreclosed family home.

So I have to do whatever works to keep the faith and let go of the past. Easier sometimes than other times. The "loose ends" I mentioned above include: Still not having the furnace repaired, though we've heard from the guy now so there's reason for hope it will happen. Having to scrape, sand, and paint on the house to seal it for winter - and running into glitches of weather, etc., along the way, and racing against the short daylight hours.

I'm going to go sit evenings this week with my elderly lady. I would rather have daytime shifts but this is how it worked out. (I just don't fancy driving home later - but it's not terribly late, and there'll be Christmas lights to enjoy.) In the daytimes, dare I hope I can get the quilting markings on my quilt in time so we can put it in the frame when the current quilt is finished.

The clutter around here is getting aggressive like a tentacled creature from a bad sci-fi flick, and trying to strangle us all. The projects like the house painting take me away from being able to deal with it, and we all know how clutter unattended procreates and expands. My scribbled notes on little pieces of paper alone are threatening to bury me. The worse it gets, too, the more cranky I get at not being able to do relaxing and enjoyable projects.

Roommate was home so I got less solitude; this week I'll at least get that in the daytimes. Hoping it'll help me get centered again. I didn't bake pumpkin pies for Thanksgiving because I was just too fatigued. Hope to do that sometime soon - though no pressure if I don't. I just enjoy pumpkin pie and would like to have some.

Must make a trip to the pharmacy to pick up one Rx and submit a couple others. Don't know if it'll work out that I could just wait on those or if I'll have to make a 2nd trip this week. Guess I'd better get started so I can get back and try to get the painting done. The forecast for today was originally for a warm sunny day - every few days we've been having record warmth - but now they say it'll be winds 30-35 mph. I don't want to be way up on a ladder in that, yet I would SO like to have the painting behind me. So I guess all I can do for now is make my pharmacy run and then come back and see what conditions are like.

Hi everybody! I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

First, thank you all so much for the kind words a couple weeks ago. You are all right. The issue is with him. He's got some work to do. We talked a lot over the last couple weeks. I think he now understands that I'm angry and he understands why. We'll never have a relationship, but it felt soooo good to get that off my chest.

I've been in Montana since my last post, so no housekeeping has gotten done. I'm back home now and ready to tackle another project after work. Wish me luck!

Now I'm off to catch up on your posts. Looks like you guys have been busy. I'll post more later. <3

Good morning!

I still need to send my boy a photo of the kitchen / thanksgiving stuff.

Dd1 took the box of hats, gloves, scarves that had been set aside for a mitten tree. (For the mitten tree at her church)

Dd2 took a flower pot in which she planted a small cedar tree from our yard to serve as her new boyfriend's first "real" Christmas tree. (Dorm)

Today I go to the food bank and donate the pad Thai sauce that dd2 bought without realizing it had chicken broth in it.

I also plan to have a small fire this afternoon to clean up some of the non-recyclable (wax or food contaminated) paper/cardboard waste and unusable scrap from the shop.

Tatoulia, good job on cleaning out and not shopping!

Tillie, I hope Steven surprises you pleasantly today.